2012, Cannabis prohibition gets weaker and weaker

2012 has been an interesting year for those of us that have spent most of their adult lives feeling either marginalised or disrespected because we use cannabis for recreational or medical reasons. But there are a lot of reasons why the ‘legalise cannabis‘ groups are feeling happier than ever.

After a decade of hostility towards cannabis the new Dutch coalition government will scrap the ‘weed pass’, perhaps allowing Holland to return to the way it was in the 80’s and 90’s. The Mayor of Amsterdam (also responsible for policing) says that scrapping the weed pass will allow the coffeeshops to remain open for tourists. Amsterdam gets around 7.5 million tourists a year and at least 1.5 million of them visit a coffeeshop. The Mayor recently said that "Banning tourists from Coffee Shops loses all benefits that the coffeeshop model gives us. Those benefits are less disturbance, the possibility to control the quality of soft drugs (Cannabis and Hash), the age of the buyers and the illegal street-dealers”. Common sense wins in Amsterdam.

Spain leads the way with it’s cannabis clubs and medical collectives. Numerous South American countries are flirting with, or actively introducing, weed friendly laws. Even Russia is joining the party, the canna business there is increasingly professional and self-sufficient home-growers are left alone by the authorities.

Legalise weed, especially plants that look like this (Think Different)

The war on drugs has been an expensive way of making the situation worse. It guarantees unimaginable wealth to some of the least deserving people on the planet and of course it is a war that can never, ever, be won. The laws against marijuana have certainly failed to control its use. Today tens of millions of Americans and Europeans use cannabis regularly and completely safely. Around the world so do millions more, many of these grow it themselves and by doing so have completely undermined the organised producers and drug underworld. The biggest danger for these home-growers is not their pot, it is the damage done by police prosecution and a criminal record. The pointless and extremely damaging prohibition nonsense has to stop, and stop soon.

There are two rapidly developing areas which are having an important influence on the continued weakening of prohibition. Here I refer to medical marijuana and the growing number of states in the USA that are passing laws allowing people to use cannabis without criminal conviction.

Firstly take the rise and rise of medical evidence that is emerging in ever growing quantities. This may not be a surprise to most cannabis users, but it is to many other people. Numerous studies all over the world are showing how effective cannabis is in a wide range of medical conditions. Pharmaceutical companies are getting ready to exploit the revenue stream, some have already started. There has never been as much research into cannabis as there is today and all the evidence is showing that cannabis is one of the most effective multi-purpose medicines, 100% organic and natural. Perhaps cannabis will prove to be THE most effective and useful natural medicinal herb. It will certainly be the most widely used in years to come.

Secondly, look at the changing landscape of prohibition in the USA - the place where the ‘war on drugs’ began and where so much anti-cannabis propaganda and influence originally came from. Today there are 17 states (out of a total of 50) that allow the use of cannabis, meaning that over a third of the USA allows cannabis in one way or another. In a few years it will be over half of the USA. Many of these weed-friendly states allow recreational use and tolerate some form of growing for personal usage. Washington DC (often regarded as a ‘District’ rather than a ‘state’) also allows the medical use of weed. And another 3 states are voting soon on the issue of permitting the sale and possession of cannabis.

There is also a very interesting test-case in court coming up where Michael Krawitz takes on the federal Government to get Cannabis reclassified. This is being done because pot is still officially regarded as having zero medical value. That has stopped Krawitz, a military veteran, from getting his medical care from the Veterans medical system – simply because he uses medical marijuana. This increasingly isolated ‘official’ federal view is to be challenged in a court case that will have wide ramifications both within the USA and outside too. Whether we like it or not a lot of non-USA politicians (especially in Northern Europe) have closely followed USA political posturing on cannabis. So every move in the USA has a ripple effect in Europe and elsewhere. As previously reported in this blog, the South American political leaders have already started ignoring USA politics and started implementing their own changes to drug laws.

These are good times for those of us that have spent decades trying to persuade people that the laws on cannabis are unjust and vindictive. Lets hope the prohibition of cannabis really is coming to an end, perhaps the medical arguments will speed up the process faster than we imagine. Maybe a Berlin-wall style collapse of prohibition laws is an overly romantic dream, but it would be a dream come true for all those that want to see an end to the horrible criminalisation of cannabis users that has continued for far too long.

We hope to see a wave of cannabis acceptance that will make life much, much better for those that grow their own cannabis as medicine or simply to enjoy. The amount of medical evidence and public support for relaxing the cannabis laws has never been greater. Lets hope that cannabis gets the break it deserves. We are not criminals.

Recent comments (6)

On 02 -11-2012 at 23:12 u Ferci wrote:Quote by Bill Hicks(1989):,,George bush said:,,We`re losing the war on drugs.". Do you know what that implies?There`s a war going on,and people on drugs are winning it...what does that tell you about drugs?Some smart,creative motherf****rs on that side,they`re winning a war and they`re high."
Too bad the war is still going on,and unreasonably enforced in a lot of places around the world,why can`t people actually read up FACTS about something and then make laws about it,even when a country right over our border has pretty much legalized it.

On 03 -11-2012 at 00:52 u Godzilar wrote:Hopfuly when Scotland gets her independence somthing will get done with the law on Cannabis. Why should i get a criminal record because i grow weed. It comes from mother earth we dont make it in labs we dont cook it up,we grow it in soil just like carrots & potatoes. Amsterdam is a great place we should be followin in her footsteps. L,C,C I look forward to the future as im sure it will be done sooner rather than later.

On 03 -11-2012 at 13:07 u Lone ranger wrote:well its about time these governments WAKE up!
having 17 states legal out of 50 is good but it baffles me why the 50 aint legal after all its the USA
think the spaniards will be next to legalise?!
wake up UK FFS
420

On 06 -11-2012 at 12:53 u Jamie wrote: " Many of these weed-friendly states allow recreational use and tolerate some form of growing for personal usage. "
Which states? I have never heard of a state allowing recreational use. I was in the belief that Colorado, Washington and Oregon (voting today) would be the first states to allow recreational use if passed.

On 06 -11-2012 at 19:10 u SourD wrote:Only greedy evil 'people' keep prohibition alive which is a risk to our young.
“Many people who think of themselves as the beneficiaries of prohibition are really net losers. Parents are much more at risk of losing their children under prohibition than they would be if there was some kind of system where we had some measure of control over illicit drugs.” - Peter Baume Former Australian Minister for Health, Minister for Education & Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

On 08 -11-2012 at 06:08 u Redeyedrebel wrote:ITS HAPPENING!!!!!!
today, washington state and colorado passed laws that completely legalised marijuana to all residents over 21.
never thought i would see it in my lifetime.
free at last. free at last

Seed type

Dutch Passion advise their customers to reassure themselves of local applicable laws and regulations before germination. Dutch Passion cannot be held responsible for the actions of those who act against laws and regulations that apply in their locality. Cannabis seeds should be kept as collectible souvenirs by anyone in an area where cultivation of cannabis is not legal.